Ware wants rematch with Borg for Welsh title

Chris ‘Mutley’ Ware (5-1, 2KO) wants to rematch Frankie Borg (9-3, 3KO) for the Welsh title after defeating the champion in a non-title fight on Friday. When asked about the prospect of a return, Ware said, “Of course, I’d love it [a rematch for the title]. I’ve got to do a six rounder first * but I’d love a rematch. I was Welsh champion in the amateurs and I’d like to do it [as a professional] again.” Ware, 32, won on points and dropped Borg to the canvas with right hooks in the first and last rounds at the City Academy in Bristol, on the undercard of Sanigar Events’ ‘The Mexican’ show. The middleweight from Swansea, who is managed by Gary Lockett, accepted the offer of a four round fight at midday on the day of the contest, ten hours before locking horns with Borg for twelve manic minutes. Speaking straight after winning, Ware said, “If you picked and chose your fights every time, you’d never get very busy or much respect. These are the types of fights you’ve gotta be having sooner or later. “To be honest, I like being in the away corner. You know, you come here and they’re expecting you to lose but that gets me going more than anything.” Thanks to Ware’s lifestyle, he spends almost every day in the gym as the owner of the successful Funky Pump gym franchise, the Welshman was fit and ready. Under instruction from former-pro turned trainer John Kaighin, Ware wasted no time in walking down Borg from the first bell and meeting the Cardiff champion head on, leading to toe-to-toe exchanges, which Ware welcomed. He said, “In fairness, when he went down, I wouldn’t say I was surprised but it just goes to show, I have some power. I wasn’t particularly looking for that shot; they just come, don’t they? John [Kaighin – trainer] was in my ear all the time, telling me not to go looking for it. Then, it came again in the fourth round.” The win came six weeks after Ware’s first professional loss, a close decision against talented debutant Morgan Jones. However, Ware refused to get downhearted or disillusioned with defeat. He said, “To be honest, I was a little bit disappointed after my last fight. I’m not taking anything away from Morgan, I knew he was going to do that for four rounds. “If you’re going to get affected by little things like that, you might as well pack it in straight away. At the end of the day, I knew Morgan was going to be a fiddly fighter but Frankie met me head on and it suited me tonight.” Like Jones, Borg had recently sparred Ware at Newport’s St Joseph’s Boxing Club in the summer but despite their obvious sporting rivalry, Ware couldn’t have more respect for his adversary. Concluding, Ware said, “It was nice to get back in there, especially against someone like Frank, I know where he’s going to be and he’s going to meet me in the middle of the ring and that’s exactly what we did, I think. “When they said it was Frank, I’ve got loads of respect for him, he’s a top man. We’ve done a lot of rounds together and there’s always a risk, it could go either way. He caught me a couple of times and I had to hang on but that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? Fighting someone as equally up for it as you are.” *Editor’s note: The Welsh Area Council imposes a rule that requires a boxer to compete in a six round contest before challenging for a Welsh title. However, the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) do not impose the rule. There is room for flexibility and exceptions can be made by the Welsh Area Council. Image by Sophie Merlo. Follow Sophie on Twitter at @Bristol_Tog or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/sophiemerlophotography